What are you currently reading?

[kishnevi]

Picked this up at the public library this afternoon

[jlaurson]

I also hear hints of  Kodaly and Shostakovich.

I think there's that and perhaps more than just hints. You might also say Enescu is in that group...

[Bogey]

Picked this up at the public library this afternoon

A review when you get done would be appreciated.

[kishnevi]

A review when you get done would be appreciated.

Already done: a slim book, consisting of an unfinished prose version of the Kullervo story with outbreaks of verse sort of in the style of the original, two versions of a talk about the Kalevala in general,  again not quite complete, aimed at people not familiar with the Kalevala, and much editorial writing on the subject of this story as precursor to the Turin story of the Similarrion, incidental influences on  Elvish language, etc.

The story breaks off just after the suicide of Kullervo's sister, but covers the entire back story of Kullervo's parentage, how his uncle killed his father (the editor claims this was the origin of the Hamlet story) and brought him up as a servant, tried to kill him off, discovers Kullervo is lousy at every task set him,sells him off as a slave to Ilmarinen,  whose wife tries to kill him, and whom (the wife, that is) he does kill, then goes off to kill his uncle and as collateral damage kills his mother and two oldest siblings (nasty people)---although the last part is reduced to a plot outline attached to the end of the fragment.  Tolkien keeps only some of the names found in the Kalevala.

The story was probably written 1914, the talk somewhat later.

[Parsifal]

The Door, a novel by Magda Szabó:

[asin] 1590177711[/asin]

Hot damn. I'm almost to the end and really want to shut my office door and read. What starts as a character study of a young woman and her housekeeper builds in tension until it goes to some really crazy places. Szabó's control of her narrative, and her language, is really breathtaking. One of those books where I feel confident that the author is taking me somewhere great.

Now reading this book for the second time. Something special.

[Bogey]

Already done: a slim book, consisting of an unfinished prose version of the Kullervo story with outbreaks of verse sort of in the style of the original, two versions of a talk about the Kalevala in general,  again not quite complete, aimed at people not familiar with the Kalevala, and much editorial writing on the subject of this story as precursor to the Turin story of the Similarrion, incidental influences on  Elvish language, etc.

The story breaks off just after the suicide of Kullervo's sister, but covers the entire back story of Kullervo's parentage, how his uncle killed his father (the editor claims this was the origin of the Hamlet story) and brought him up as a servant, tried to kill him off, discovers Kullervo is lousy at every task set him,sells him off as a slave to Ilmarinen,  whose wife tries to kill him, and whom (the wife, that is) he does kill, then goes off to kill his uncle and as collateral damage kills his mother and two oldest siblings (nasty people)---although the last part is reduced to a plot outline attached to the end of the fragment.  Tolkien keeps only some of the names found in the Kalevala.

The story was probably written 1914, the talk somewhat later.

Thank you.

[Jaakko Keskinen]

Almost finished with Wilhelm Meister's apprenticeship but I think I'll leave further commenting to future, when I have also read Wilhelm Meister's journeyman years. I cannot find that book in finnish translation anywhere, hell, it's possible it has never even been translated in finnish, so I'll probably buy an english translation from somewhere, perhaps that excellent one by Carlyle, and get on with it.

[Karl Henning]

I'm reading the power of branding with Hidden Lakes Estates . . . .

[Karl Henning]

I have at last begun to read Melville's The Confidence-Man . . . I do not really expect that there is any similarity, but renewed awareness of this classic has hovered in the back of my mind while I have been reading of the adventures of one John Graustein as he wrestles the cheerful chaos with which a certain Anselm barrages his beige world.

[ritter]

These past days:

[asin]0804744009[/asin]
A highly entertaining, well written and thoroughy researched biography of a character who, despite being to a certain extent a historical oddity, is quite fascinating. Simultaneously, the author guides us by the hand in an exploration of Brazilian history during most of the 19th century.

[Jaakko Keskinen]

Before moving on to Wanderjahre, I think I should comment about Lehrjahre after all, my impressions. While the book has many merits (being one of the first, if not the first Bildungsroman, having great character development and psychology is often masterful), I still found the book pretty hard to read. It doesn't help I have very old finnish translation of the book. I consider even books like The Brothers Karamazov often easy to read, but this book, with this book I had to exert my brains and be just in the right state of mind to enjoy most pages of it. This is more my fault than the author's but I think it is possible for book to be both cleverly written and still easily understandable. This book certainly was cleverly written and it certainly wasn't always easily understandable. I think the book would have been a bit more balanced if it would have had more easy-going passages like when Wilhelm and co. are staying at Count's place. I have no problem with having to use your brain, with this book it was just a bit too much for comfort. Criticism can also be directed towards convenient (and at times inconvenient) coincidences that the book has. You think Dickens uses lot of coincidences? Read Lehrjahre!

Btw, I adore Jarno's character. Easily the greatest character in the book. I already know he returns in Wanderjahre, although under different alias. Can't wait.

[jlaurson]

The Master and Margarita

in a new German translation that's supposed to be the bee's knees. It's certainly notably more modern and witty but also a bit self-importantly "excellent".

A Dance to the Music of Time - A Buyer's Market

I'm not as enthused as Wodehouse was... but I decided I'll read the whole shabang!

[aligreto]

Revisiting Lady Chatterley's Lover by DH Lawrence....





I enjoy reading DH Lawrence in general but there is one irritation which constantly recurs and that is his penchant for repetition of a thought or an idea, frequently in close proximity to each other. It is as though he was saying "what a clever idea this is!"

[Karl Henning]

Reading a short biography of Washington Irving.

[Ken B]

.[asin]0671604295[/asin]

[SimonNZ]

China In Ten Words - Yu Hua

[Bogey]

.[asin]0671604295[/asin]

How is this one, Ken?

[Ken B]

How is this one, Ken?

It's very interesting. I read it in high school, before I had seen most of the movies. There are often really insightful things about filmmaking but the best book on movies remains The Genius of the System.

[Bogey]

It's very interesting. I read it in high school, before I had seen most of the movies. There are often really insightful things about filmmaking but the best book on movies remains The Genius of the System.

Just ordered Genius of the System.  Thanks, Ken!

[kishnevi]

Decided to beef up my holdings of Greek poetry

With the companion volumes for Sophocles II, Aeschylus I and II
I have the full run of Euripides in this series since college.  These are updated or new translations of the Grene/Lattimore originals.
Sophocles and Aeschylus I have already in other translations.  Next up will be Aristophanes, to keep company with the Hadas translation I also have had for years.
Also



Apollonius and the Hymns are new.  The lyric poems I have in (again)Lattimore's translation.  (I also have his Homer, Hesiod, and Pindar.)